Can I Have This Dance?
by SakuraCrevellari
Summary: After the battle against the Eight Precepts of Death, things changed. Some of them for the worst… but hopefully, others finally change for best. Graduation is just around the corner, but Tamaki isn't as expectant about it as his classmates are.


Graduation was only a few weeks far away, and there still wasn't that much development about the things Eri could do with her weakened quirk.

Tamaki glanced towards the seat that, even if at the moment was empty, only a few months earlier had been occupied by his best friend; and ignored briefly Midnight's voice, who was at the front, leading the class.

Sometimes he felt hurt, truth to be told. Since long ago, he had thought that becoming heroes together was something certain, and that Mirio would become the most powerful of them.

…And then they had faced Overhaul, and everything that seemed secured crumbled apart in an instant.

Of course, he did his best to not let his sorrow show when he was in front of his best friend. After all, Mirio had been the one most damaged by the whole situation; how could he say out loud that he was also suffering because the dream of the one once known as the hero Lemillion was now so far away from reach?

So, in front of him, Tamaki smiled. And tried to keep holding onto hope. In the end, he knew that soon Eri's powers could restore Mirio's quirk.

However, until that happened, he didn't felt in the mood to think about the graduation, because he always imagined that they would attend together.

* * *

– Yuyu said that for prom I should wear something even more amazing that what I used during the cultural festival, but I honestly don't know what she means when she says "amazing". Fancier? Cuter? Should I go as a femme fatale or as a Lolita? What do you think, Tamaki? Maybe I should go to the mall and see what I can find, but I still don't know what "amazing" means. And at the same time, I want to wear matching outfits with Yuyu, but she doesn't want to see what I'll wear before the day! According to her, she wants to surprise me, though she insists she won't look as nice as me, and I insist the opposite: The other reason I want to know what she will wear is because I want to stand proud next to her, after all, Yuyu is super pretty!

Used as he was to the way her dear friend expressed herself, Tamaki limited himself to nod while she was still talking, and took advantage of the brief moment Nejire stopped to collect her breath to speak his mind about the matter. – Pick the style you like the most. She would definitely love it.

The eyes of the blue-haired girl lit up, and she started to clap softly while bouncing around her friend. – Then join me in my quest for a dress! It's sad if I go on my own, and Yuyu definitely won't accompany me. I know you are not interested in prom, but, please? Pretty please with a cherry on top. Say yes. Please.

Actually, Tamaki didn't have that much alternatives. Or none, for that matter. So he sighed and nodded softly, which made that the heroin jumped onto him while exclaiming different versions of "yay".

* * *

The search for the "perfect dress" turned out a lot more draining than what Tamaki had expected. 5 hours in the mall, over 30 different options, and none of them seemed to fully satisfy Nejire.

They were resting for a minute, sitting by one of the many fountains that were scattered around the big mall, when suddenly the young lady stood up in order to pull his friend by the arm.

– Being surrounded by so many dresses fried my brain, so let's try something different in order to relax and clear our heads!

Tamaki surrounded, so soon he was also on his feet and following Hadou. – What are you thinking about…?

– This! – Nejire giggled while they both went into a store specialized on gentleman suits, visibly satisfied at her own idea. – I know you are not really interested on prom, but it would be a shame to not see you wearing a suit at least once! Come on, just a few suits, ok? We are not buying them or something like that, I just want to know how you'll look like!

Tamaki sighed. That activity in particular didn't fill him with particular illusion, but he also didn't want to drown in dresses again, so he nodded softly. – Alright… But no more than 4 suits.

– Then I have to choose wisely! – And letting go of her companion's arm, the girl started to poke around at full speed between the many options available while he sat on one of the stools available for the clientele.

Fortunately, before he could be noticed by one of the clerks who inevitably would offer him help he wouldn't want to accept due to the anxiousness generated by social interactions, Nejire came back to his side carrying a bunch of clothes in her arms.

– That dressing room is available, go right ahead!

And Tamaki had no option but to obey.

* * *

– It's such a shame that you don't want to go to prom. That purple suit was perfect for you!

Tamaki could only nod softly. He still wasn't used to receive compliments from other people: sometimes he felt that he didn't deserve them, others he just didn't know how to answer. Wasn't "Thank you" a bit egocentric? Perhaps it was better to answer with a compliment too? But raising the voice to say embarrassing things is also difficult, so most times he opted to just nod.

Maybe others could think that he was rude or intimidating, but Nejire and Mirio knew him enough to know how to read even his silences.

– Isn't it a shame, though? I mean, you still haven't find a dress…

Nejire shook her head, smiling. – Don't worry about it, I had lots of fun! I'm going to keep looking, but in the meantime, I'm satisfied! After all, spending the day with you was incredibly fun. Maybe I'll ask you out again!

Tamaki stood there in silence, contemplating the dreadful possibilities, and Nejire laughed.

* * *

The days flew by faster than planned, and by the moment Tamaki realized, it was prom night. The rooms of the dormitory he had moved in were empty at that moment, when only hours before almost all of its inhabitants were running inside it, hurried to get dressed for the formal event, and asking advice to their friends about how to look as their best version.

No one had tried to change the young Suneater's mind. Everyone knew how close he was to Mirio, the tragic hero fallen in disgrace, so they respected the decision his classmate had about not attending to the event were all had expected to see them together.

So he stayed, sitting near to the large window that was in his room. The moonlight softly caressed his skin while he watched the cherry trees shine softly, almost like they could produce their own glow.

_"__A romantic evening", _he thought.

Before the battle against the Eight Precepts of Death, Tamaki had thought about sharing a special secret with the one who had been his best friend since he had memories, and considering that he was a romantic at heart, he had planned to do so during that particular night.

But then, Lemillion vanished, and all that planning had to been postponed. After all, it was a secret that could cause great pain to his great friend, and he didn't want to make Mirio's burden heavier.

So he had swallowed his words, and prayed so these weren't going to manifest against his will.

He let his head rest against the glass, and absently-minded, started to tap with two fingers on it the rhythm of an old American song he had heard in the past.

– _…__dance with me, my old friend, once before we go…_

He was so abstracted in his own thoughts, that he didn't notice his door open, much less the one who had entered to his room until the light was suddenly on, causing him to jump, startled.

In the middle of the room, standing radiant, was Nejire, smiling from ear to ear and holding in his hands a suit bag and a cardboard box.

– Don't say anything, don't ask anything, cause I won't answer anything. Just put this on and go to the garden behind the dormitory. And God protect you if you don't do as I say.

And as sudden as she had entered, the young girl disappeared into the corridors, leaving his friend totally astonished, who only could extend his arms just enough to receive the packages that were almost thrown onto him.

– …What?

* * *

Tamaki immediately recognized the outfit that was inside the simple suit bag as the one he had tried on the time he accompanied Nejire to look for a dress; it was the purple one that went well along with his hair and, he had to recognize, fitted nicely onto his body without being uncomfortable.

For a minute, he thought about refusing, because he imagined that all of that was an elaborated plan that had as its objective to take him to the place were the prom was being held. However, he knew that resistance was futile: His adversary was Nejire, after all, and there was no possible way to make her surrender once she had set her mind onto something. So he dressed as fast as he could with all the items the girl had set for him, including shoes, a tie, and a sunflower boutonniere that surprisingly, matched with the suit.

Once he was ready, he left his room, went downstairs almost stumbling, and left the building in direction to the garden that had been indicated.

He wasn't sure about what awaited for him ahead, but he certainly wasn't ready for the things that received him.

The moon shone softly between the cherry trees that grew there, and the effect this generated blended perfectly with the radiance produced by little holiday lights that surrounded a small dance floor that had been constructed in the middle of the garden.

The lights compensated well the lack of stars in the sky. Tamaki had resigned himself long ago about this particular characteristic of UA's sky, but the way everything was put together in that moment made him not miss them.

A delicate chandelier on a table and two oil lamps placed at floor height complemented perfectly the illumination, and if he closed his eyes he could notice the smell of the flora around him (which was amazing due to the cares it received constantly). Every second the moon seemed more beautiful, but he didn't have eyes to see it.

No. In his eyes, only he was reflected.

Surrounded by all that magic, and shining as if he was the sun itself despite wearing a black suit and a blue orchid boutonniere, he was standing. Mirio. Smiling from the bottom of his heart, showing the sweetest smile Tamaki had ever seen.

During a second, Tamaki froze in his place, firmly believing that everything that was happening was part of a dream that would surely disappear if he dared to move. But then Mirio laughed and walked towards him, extending his hand.

– Can I have this dance? – The music started, softly, while Mirio placed one of his hands in Tamaki's waist, pulling him gently towards his body.

Tamaki couldn't even ask himself from where the music was coming. He could only hold the body that was taller than his.

_What day is it? And in what month?_

_This clock never seemed so alive…_

– I've been waiting for this day, you know? – Mirio's voice, although it was only a whisper, sounded clear in his ears and extended towards his whole body while both swayed slowly, following the song. – I had a lot of plans. I never imagined I had to change them.

– Mirio… – Tamaki could sense the traces of sadness that tinted his best friend's voice. And while he was dying to pull him into an embrace, he knew the blonde had more to say, so he just squeezed in a comforting way the hand that surrounded his.

_I can't keep up and I can't back down_

_I've been losing so much time…_

A smile could be heard on Mirio's voice when he spoke again. – But, with all that happened, I learnt to not take for granted the things. To always do my best. More than I did before. Especially when everything I now own can disappear from my reach within seconds. – Gently, Mirio guided his companion into a brief and elegant spin, which allowed Tamaki to contemplate quickly the gesture that was carved onto the taller one's face before being returning to the initial position, almost hiding his face against the muscular chest.

It had been just a second, but he saw it: Mirio's face was full of pure joy and softness.

Meanwhile, Tamaki's heart was about to burst out of his chest.

– I don't want to lose any more time, so I'm going to say it bluntly. – Mirio continued, closing even more the space that still existed between the two bodies, so they both could feel the other's heartbeat as if it was its own. – I love you, Tamaki. I love how brave you are, how fun you are. Because you are smart and empathetic, and because you show me time and time again what "true strength" means. Also, because you are afraid of what others think about you and sometimes the nervousness paralyze you, but not even then you surrender. You still run right ahead, towards your dreams.

I love you because everything you are and sometimes you don't notice.

_And it's you and me and all of the people_

_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you…_

Tamaki had to let go for a bit in that moment. He needed to see Mirio in the eyes while he answered. He couldn't hide, not in that moment. So he raised his gaze, and full of resolution, he spoke. – Me too. – The words wanted to stay hidden in the depths of his throat, so before he could continue there where a lot of "uhm", "eh", and "ahm". But he opened his path between all the anxieties. – I love your determination… I love how childish you can be sometimes, and so mature others… I love how you don't lose your faith. I love how despite everything, the brightness of your sun doesn't dim. I love that you trust me, and that I trust. And I love you… with or without quirk. You will… always be my hero, Lemillion.

And once Tamaki managed to spit those words (because that's how it felt, considering the speed he had used while talking because his heart was beating a thousand per hour), Mirio enveloped him in a big hug, and taking him off the ground, kept Tamaki near his heart during moments they both wished could last forever.

– I'll be back. – Mirio's voice was gentle, yet full of resolve at the same time. – You said it yourself, right? "The return of the peerless hero might be not so far away". I promise you that I'll be back. And then, I can graduate properly.

And Tamaki believed him. So he smiled sincerely while he was put down on the floor again, before receiving a sweet forehead kiss.

_This clock never seemed so alive._

– We'll have to throw another prom in that moment, then.

– Yes, – Mirio answered. – We will have it.

A new song started, and they resumed their slow dancing.

At the moment, neither of them imagined that the second celebration was nearer than expected, but that's another story.

They focused on enjoy the moment they both shared, knowing that in every turn they were safe, because they were together.

_Keep your eyes locked on mine,_

_And let the music be your guide._

When they looked into each other's eyes, they felt infinitely grateful for the other's existence, their breathing, the warm hands and the beating hearts.

After all, it felt like a miracle, one of those that only happen once in a million chances.

* * *

_**Notes: **_It's Miritama Week! The perfect excuse to write this absolutely self indulgent piece.

Thanks to DragonstoneH for the bit about the place they were! I lov u mah friend.

The songs used as inspiration were:  
\- Nothing Matters When We're Dancing, The Magnetic Fields.  
\- You and Me, Lifehouse.  
\- Can I Have This Dance?, Vanessa Hudgens & Zac Efron.


End file.
